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A Study of Teacher Sensemaking about Productive Student Talk in Science Classrooms

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Title: A Study of Teacher Sensemaking about Productive Student Talk in Science Classrooms
Language: English
Authors: Danielle M. Rhemer (ORCID 0000-0002-5675-5045), Miray Tekkumru-Kisa, Sherry A. Southerland (ORCID 0000-0002-0824-4611)
Source: Science Education. 2026 110(2):418-440.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Contract Number: 1720587
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Teacher Attitudes, Science Teachers, Science Education, Classroom Communication, Science Process Skills, Faculty Development, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods
DOI: 10.1002/sce.70012
ISSN: 0036-8326
1098-237X
Abstract: Reform efforts in science education call for students to learn science by engaging in the discipline to explain phenomena. This requires students to engage in productive science talk, or talk that is accountable to the learning community, focused on building on the ideas of others, accountable to the standards of reasoning emphasizing logical, evidence-based conclusions, and accountable to science knowledge and the process of sensemaking, engaging students in making epistemic and conceptual progress. Unfortunately, instruction that features such talk is rare, and equipping teachers to facilitate it is challenging. Our study explored Monica, a biology teacher with minimal instructional training but a high motivation to support her students' success, sensemaking during a year-long professional development (PD) experience focused on teachers' facilitation of lessons designed to engage students in productive science talk. Using video recordings of PD sessions and interviews, we analyzed the focus and the process of Monica's sensemaking when considering how to facilitate lessons designed to support students' engagement in productive science talk and the meaning she made of productive science talk. Findings showed that the PD supported Monica in conceptualizing talk aligned with students' disciplinary engagement using multiple sensemaking processes. However, she predominantly viewed talk from the student's perspective and required prompting to consider her role in designing and facilitating productive science talk. These findings offer insights for teacher educators on how to engage teachers in various sensemaking processes and the importance of supporting teachers in understanding their role in fostering students' productive science talk.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496785
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Danielle+M%2E+Rhemer%22">Danielle M. Rhemer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5675-5045">0000-0002-5675-5045</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miray+Tekkumru-Kisa%22">Miray Tekkumru-Kisa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sherry+A%2E+Southerland%22">Sherry A. Southerland</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0824-4611">0000-0002-0824-4611</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Reform efforts in science education call for students to learn science by engaging in the discipline to explain phenomena. This requires students to engage in productive science talk, or talk that is accountable to the learning community, focused on building on the ideas of others, accountable to the standards of reasoning emphasizing logical, evidence-based conclusions, and accountable to science knowledge and the process of sensemaking, engaging students in making epistemic and conceptual progress. Unfortunately, instruction that features such talk is rare, and equipping teachers to facilitate it is challenging. Our study explored Monica, a biology teacher with minimal instructional training but a high motivation to support her students' success, sensemaking during a year-long professional development (PD) experience focused on teachers' facilitation of lessons designed to engage students in productive science talk. Using video recordings of PD sessions and interviews, we analyzed the focus and the process of Monica's sensemaking when considering how to facilitate lessons designed to support students' engagement in productive science talk and the meaning she made of productive science talk. Findings showed that the PD supported Monica in conceptualizing talk aligned with students' disciplinary engagement using multiple sensemaking processes. However, she predominantly viewed talk from the student's perspective and required prompting to consider her role in designing and facilitating productive science talk. These findings offer insights for teacher educators on how to engage teachers in various sensemaking processes and the importance of supporting teachers in understanding their role in fostering students' productive science talk.
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